The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-07-14
ADUlTERATED LARD.
Tremendous Profits in the Manufa cture Of
the Impure Mixtures.

Tremendous Profits in the Manufa ct ure of
the Impure Mixtures.
They have a notion in France that an
innocent or perhaps ignorant purchaser
is entitled TO some protection, and so
all the shops where horse meat is sold
are compelled to place horses head
over the door as a warning signal. In
the same line of policy is the Ameri-
ran law, which requires that mysteri-
Ous compound, oleomargarine, to be
marked, and the Massachusetts, Legisla-
ture will soon be called upon TO take
action upon the matter of lard adultera-
ion.
Mr.. John P. Squire, In giving a
history of the increase in the adultera-
lion of lard, said that the business be-
gan in very small way about six years
ago. At that time the price of tallow
was nearly as high as that of lard, and
here was no profit in adulteration, but
since that time the price of tallow has
steadily declined and adulteration of
ard has been consequently increasing.
button and beef tallow aud cottonseed
9il are used for the purpose. The ruling
price for the tallow is cents pound
and for the oil A.. The oil is used
% bring the adulterated mixture up
10 the consistency of honest lard.
The net cost for making the mix
lure is Al pound or, delivered
in Boston, 5 cents. The mess pork
corner of last winter advanced the price
of hogs, and it is fact that manufact-
urers of pure lard have been losing S.
tierce on the actual cost of material,
for while hogs were higher the greases
remained at the old prices, and the
manufacturers of the adulterated mix
ture flooded the country with their prod
uct and cheapened the price of lard
everywhere. Some of this mixture is
branded refined lard. and while good
cOttonseed oil may not be injurious, it
has to be bleached with sulphuric acid
for this purpose, and the same is true
of the tallOw. If any of the acid re-
mains in the mixture it must be danger
Gus. but whether it does or not, the
compound is swindle. The manu-
facturers of it, and there is only one
prominent refiner in the country who
does not make it. put Il better quality
in the pals than in the tierces. There
is some good lard in the pals. but
little in the tierces 1t is for the
MT Of hn 20
vent adulteration, and the next
of Congress will see them uni
ted in asking that something be done
shout it. The effort to have a law
enacted in this State began with the
packers, and they ask that the obnox-
ious compound be made to carry the
label 'adulterated," as oleomargarine
is labeled. As an example of the profit
to the re6ners who make this mixture,
let it be supposed that a tierce contains
500 pounds, and that $50 pounds of it
is pure lard. Of the other 80 pounds
70 are of cottonseed and 10 of beef fat.
the price of pure lard at u
cents and of the adulterants at Al cents,
it is seen that on $50 pounds the refin-
srs start out with a clear profit of $3.50
over the man who puts up 800 pounds
If honest lard. The cottonseed oil
comes from the Southern States and
he supply of it is controlled by a cor
ooration that has monopoly. This
pays cash to the planters
or the oil, and in that way gets it so
heap. that were the planters to stop
md think moment they would see
hat it is better for them to keep the seed |
or fertilizing purposes. Adulterated |
ard is worse than OleOmargarine, be-
:ause while the latter comes directly
o the taste and can be Stunned. the
ormer gets into a persons stomach
and before he knows it. Of
curse the adulterated mixture is not so
,ood for cooking purposes as the pure
ard. The bakers tried cottonseed oil
nd found that whatever was fried in
became hard and dry III few hours.
Boston Post. -